Occupational Therapy News OTnews February 2020 | Page 54

PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES
BJOT
NEXT ISSUE
The March issue of BJOT opens with a personal view from
Carly Reagan, in an editorial considering ‘Why occupational
therapists should join the fight against climate change’ and
the different approaches they might take.
Research this month includes a meta-aggregation by
Hanne Kristensen and Hanne Peoples, addressing the
general lack of coherence in evidence-based knowledge on
issues of importance for subjective experiences of quality of
life in people with dementia.
From available studies in English, Danish, Swedish
and Norwegian, they selected 10 qualitative studies and
examined methodological quality through critical appraisal.
Swinson, Wenborn and Sugarhood provide a mixed-
methods review of green-walking groups, examining the
mental health outcomes for adults with mental health
problems. They consider that their review can be used to
build the evidence base for the link between occupation
and mental health and inform the clinical decision-making of
occupational therapists.
Coole and colleagues present a protocol for their
CREATE study, which compares face-to-face and online
training for occupational therapists in advising on fitness for
work.
Khalifa et al aimed to identify the barriers and facilitators
to the implementation of a high-fidelity individual placement
and support service in a community forensic mental health
setting through in-depth interviews with staff, patients,
and employers. They conclude that Implementation in a
community mental health forensic setting is complex and
requires robust planning. 
Finally, Swink and colleagues examine self-reported falls
and fall risk factors in people with type two diabetes mellitus
aged under 65 years, through a cross-sectional analysis of
64 participants at a primary care facility in the Western US.
They concluded that psychological fall risk factors such
as fear of falling are factors that should be considered early
on in a diagnosis of type two diabetes mellitus because
they may have an effect on falls.
All articles are published online at the journal’s OnlineFirst
page as soon as ready. Visit BJOT via your member login
at www.rcot.co.uk to browse these and other recent
publications in full (please go via the RCOT website links to
the journal).
We have a new call for articles for a special issue on
mental health, guest edited by Mona Eklund. For more
information visit: http://journals.sagepub.com/page/bjo/call-
for-papers.
54 OTnews February 2020
Year one: thriving, not surviving
The first year of work is a pivotal time for every occupational
therapist, as we leave the cocoon of education and emerge into the
bright light of practice. It is exciting. It is the moment when we stake
our place in society as kind, informed and efficient practitioners,
who strive passionately to improve the lives of the people with
whom we work. 
It is an exhilarating time, but can also be an anxious one. We are
immediately confronted by a myriad of idiosyncratic challenges that
no learning can pre-empt.
Our professional skills and confidence are tested as we strive to
navigate this brave new world. Our primary goal, to improve patient
care, can suddenly feel very complex. 
As new practitioners, we plough passion into proving ourselves.
We give all we can to nurture wellbeing, in every person we meet,
but what about our wellbeing?
We know that the first year of practice can be associated with
stress, value conflict, role uncertainty and lack of professional
confidence (Morley 2009; Holland et al 2013). Therefore, it is
important that we find ways to support our own wellbeing through
this time of transition if we are to do more than merely survive.
To thrive in year one forms a wonderful foundation from which
to grow. We are excited, therefore, to have been funded by the
Elizabeth Casson Trust to develop a self-coaching resource entitled
‘Year one: Thriving Not Surviving’, which aims to support the
wellbeing of occupational therapists in their first year of practice.
Central to the project is that its development is informed by the
experiences and involvement of first year practitioners.
We are seeking a small group of committed, enthusiastic
occupational therapists in their first year of practice to work with
us. This is a unique opportunity to gain experience of co-producing
work, developing a campaign of engagement, communicating
information in a variety of formats and self-coaching techniques.
If you are interested in joining the project group and would like
to find out more about what is involved, please get in touch at the
address below and we will send you further information and an
expression of interest form. But, please do not delay as this is a time
limited project.
Equally, we would like you to share your experiences on some
of the challenges you have faced in your first year of practice and
the kind of support that has been, or would be helpful (email the
address below).
References
Holland, KE Middleton L, Uys L (2013) Professional confidence: Conceptions
held by novice occupational therapists in South Africa. Occupational
Therapy International, 20: 105-113
Morley M (2009) Contextual factors that have an impact on the transitional
experience of newly qualified occupational therapists. British Journal of
Occupational Therapy, 72(11): 507-514
Dr Lynne Goodacre and Rob Young. Email: lgpersonaldev@
gmail.com.